TESERO, Italy, Feb 10 (Reuters) - U.S. cross-country skier Ben Ogden is hoping to usher in a new era for his sport in his home country after clinching a silver medal in the Olympic classic sprint on Tuesday and ending a 50-year medal drought for the U.S. men's cross-country team.
While teammate Jessie Diggins has elevated the U.S. women's team on the international stage by winning podium spots at the Olympics and World Cup, the men's team has continued to lag Scandinavian rivals. American men had not won an Olympic medal in cross-country skiing since Bill Koch's silver in the 30 km during the 1976 Olympics.
"I hope it gives the future of the sport in the U.S. a big boost. I know Bill (Koch) winning his medal gave a big boost to all the young skiers and all the people who dreamed the U.S. could be a champion cross-country ski nation. I hope this propels us into the next 50 years," Ogden told Reuters.
Earlier this year, Ogden, along with teammate Gus Schumacher, clinched a first U.S. men’s team sprint World Cup podium with a third-place finish.
Ogden came out strong early on Tuesday, ending second in the qualification round, and during the quarter-finals pulled away from rivals to finish a full 2.29 seconds ahead of the next fastest racer. He lost to Norway's Johannes Klaebo in the final round, who secured his second gold of this Olympics and seventh of his career.
"When I looked at the bottom of that hill, my new favourite hill, it was just the three of us, I knew it was time. I knew my goal is more within reach now than it ever has been," Ogden said.
Ogden may have been fierce on the race course, but off the track, the 25-year-old hardly takes himself too seriously. In a press conference ahead of the Games, he apologised to journalists and others in the room for not returning messages or emails, blaming it on his recent knitting obsession.
Ogden's compatriot Julia Kern, who made it to the women's final in the classic sprint on Tuesday but came in sixth, was delighted at his achievement, as was Diggins.
"It's amazing. I mean, Ben Ogden and the silver medaI," Kern said, adding: "It’s so incredibily special and we're so happy for Ben."
"This guy!!!!!! Holy smokes CONGRATS BENNY SO PROUD OF YOU!!," Diggins posted on her Instagram account.
(Reporting by Liz Hampton and Tommy Lund in Tesero, Italy; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
